Broken news

Sunday

Apr 28, 2013 at 6:00 AM

Robert Nemeth

especially cable television — handles “breaking news” makes a mockery of journalism. It breaks all the fundamental rules of the trade: Accuracy, balance, impartiality and careful attention to facts. It tends to become a display of confusing misinformation delivered breathlessly by announcers who don’t seem to have anything new to say but keep saying it anyway.

Coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing and the ensuing manhunt for suspects was the latest example. It pre-empted all other programs, as if the rest of the world came to a standstill. (The horrible disaster in a Texas fertilizer factory that took 14 lives and devastated an entire neighborhood was belatedly mentioned as an afterthought.)

Television has helped the investigation by showing the Tsarnaev brothers with backpacks at the scene of the crime. But the coverage following the explosions became a free-for-all, mixing speculation with hearsay. The rapid-fire narrative was often inarticulate. The same video footage was repeated time and again, conjuring the same images dozens of times.

There was an abundance of conflicting information, as well. The twin bombings killed three people and wounded 170. The number of wounded was later placed at 180, then shot to 260. Stand by, an arrest is imminent. According to an unnamed court officer, a suspect is in custody. There will be a press conference at 5 p.m. to charge the suspect. Press conference has been postponed. Authorities deny that an arrest has been made. There’s an ongoing search for more hidden explosives. There will be a controlled explosion. According to authorities, there’s no danger to the public. Boston residents should stay sheltered. No motive has been established for the deadly attack. Attack is attributed to the older brother’s strong religious sentiment. Did the brothers have help from outside terrorist organizations?

Then there was the repeated kiss of death of all relevant information: “According to a source who asked to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to comment.” As far as I’m concerned, an unidentified source or unattributed quote is useless. A person protected by anonymity could say just about anything without accountability for the truth.

Given the pressure of competition among the networks and the difficulty of dealing with fast-breaking news in a hurry, television news would do better to slow down, catch its breath and sort out the facts before dumping rubbish on the viewers.

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Representing the 5th and 8th congressional districts, respectively, Edward Markey and Stephen Lynch haven’t attracted much attention in our neck of the political woods. But now that one of them has a good chance to take John Kerry’s seat in the U.S. Senate, the spotlight is on Tuesday’s primary, which is likely to decide which of the two Democrats will succeed.

There are some capable candidates on the GOP side, to be sure. Former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, who at one time also headed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, is one. Then there’s state Rep. Dan Winslow, a former district court judge and legal counsel to Gov. Mitt Romney. Both are well-qualified. But a Republican is unlikely to be elected in the One Party State of Massachusetts. So that leaves either Mr. Markey or Mr. Lynch.

Of the two, Mr. Lynch is preferable. Ed Markey is the anointed candidate of the Democratic Party establishment, the quintessential Washington insider, having served liberal causes for 37 years inside the Beltway. He has been richly rewarded with endorsements and campaign contributions.

If there’s such a thing as the American dream, Steve Lynch is the embodiment of it. The son of an ironworker, he worked for many years bolting steel beams hundreds of feet high in the air, one of the most dangerous jobs in the trade. “It is the kind of job where you aren’t going to find Ed Markey,” one union official quipped.

Mr. Lynch spent his spare time attending school and getting diplomas. He was an outspoken advocate of labor issues, becoming, at 33, the youngest president of the local chapter of the International Association of Ironworkers. During his two decades of public service, he has been known as an independent-minded Democrat who often refuses to march in lockstep with his party’s leaders. He voted against President Obama’s health care bill, and angered party stalwarts with his conservative tilt on issues such as abortion and affirmative action.

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I received the following letter from Tony J. Economou, my District 1 city councilor:

“Dear Resident: I am writing to let you know that I have chosen Oak Hill Road from the master list to be resurfaced in the next construction season which will start in 2013. The condition of streets remains a top priority for me in the city. There are many streets and sidewalks that need to be funded, and I will continue to work diligently to select and fund all streets that are in disrepair.”

I believe in good constituent service and find Councilor Economou’s attention quite flattering. However, Oak Hill Road, where I live, was fully resurfaced last year, complete with new curbs and driveway connectors. It took several weeks, but the city did a good job, and I hope the councilor will not insist on resurfacing my street until it gets decrepit again.